Family decries ruins of Ogedengbe legacies as they suffered neglects from Aregbesola’s govt.

A former Commercial  School which was later renamed Ogedengbe School of Science located at Isale General in Ilesa West Local Government, Osun State, Nigeria is now in ruins. 

The school which was renamed in the year 2000 to honour the late African warlord and the saviour of the Ijesa people, Ogedengbe Agbogungboro has since been suffering from total neglect from the state government.

Mega Icon Magazine gathered that these schools including Orire Ogedengbe United Primary School, situated along Stadium Road,  Ilesa, which was also named after the warlord, should get a lot more attention, since the governor of the state,  Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is a native of Ijesaland. But, unfortunately, not much is left at the schools named after the ‘Ijesa Saviour’ to tell the story of the legend other than the ruins and pathetic situation, the legacies suffer.

These abandoned, neglected schools show the parlous, pathetic and deplorable situation of the legacies that could have produced more leaders of tomorrow, great scholars, technologists, medical experts and scientists amongst others.

The atmosphere of the only science school in Ilesa aptly represents a war torn environment where horrors of war have been demonstrated. The school housed broken windows, broken furniture, falling roofs, and dilapidated structures including fence which was supported by Bamboo trees. The ugly story was the same in Orire Ogedengbe United Primary School, that was named after the legend.

Painfully, there are also no toilet facilities, laboratories, desks and chairs in the school as the only school bus remained grounded with evident of several years of abandonment. Currently, the school hall with soiled ceilings and floor is unbefitting and are now homes for rats and other animals to dwell.

Our reporter who visited the school recently bewildered how these students would cope during scorching sun and heavy downpour of rain as he found all the classrooms in poor condition, with broken doors, windows, scruffy chalkboards. And there were no recreational facilities. Some students were also caught writing an external examination inside the dilapidated school hall since there were no alternatives.

According to an inside source, one of the teachers in the school who confided in Mega Icon Magazine disclosed that examination bodies have threatened to stop using the school if the school failed to provide a befitting hall for examinations. He stressed further that the government of the day has not been coming to their aide  in spite of several calls made to the authorities.

Interestingly, direct opposite of the school is a newly renovated Elementary School by the Aregbesola led Osun State Government. This makes one wonders why the science school and the primary school named after Ogedengbe were deserted and allowed to suffer total neglect by the Ijesa born governor considering its importance even when the governor happens to be a trained engineer.

Our further checks also revealed that some Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) had earlier supported best students in the school in form of scholarships. Subsequent to the total neglect and insensitivity of the Osun State Government, these schools now poses great security risks to students with the defective structures.

Speaking with our reporter, one of the great grandsons of the late warlord, Mr. Olutayo Ogedengbe while expressing his displeasure over the situation, said in spite of Ogedengbe  being a saviour of his kinsmen, he seems to have been forgotten because his legacies are not catered for.

Ogedengbe laments, “I felt very sad because the situation here is not encouraging. No one can learn under this atmosphere, you can see the classrooms. There are a lot to be done here for the children to learn in a conducive environment. When its raining there is nothing one can do to help these pupils. No drinking water,  no toilet.

” As a great warrior, Government supposed to be assisting in looking into this, you can see some schools renovated,  but nothing of such happened here. We have consulted the government severally but no improvement”.  He, however called on the family to come to the rescue of these schools.

Even when the Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is being perceived as a cultural revivalist who appreciates culture and history, another Ogedengbe’s legacy that has suffered reckless abandonment from his 8 years of sitting on the most exalted seat in Osun State  is the Ogendengbe house of war, the Obanla palace.

High Chief Oyekanmi Ogedengbe Obanla IV who currently occupies the royal stool of his forefathers flayed the neglect of the Africa’s warlord. He lamented that the contributions of this great  idol of Ijesa land have remained unsung and uncelebrated, adding that Ogedengbe Agbogungboro has not been given his deserved honour.

Not only that his grave in the royal house is unmarked, but his valour and gallantry have been relegated to the background and could best be described as a  forgotten hero as the Obanla palace housing several war relics and artifacts also remains in shambles. The compound accommodating courtyards and rooms of various sizes had fallen roofs while most of the walls have caved in.

Commenting further on the neglect, the ruling Obanla  recalled that in 2010 when the family celebrated 100 years of Ogedengbe’s exit, Osun State Government promised to turn the royal house into a tourist attraction centre/monument, but nothing has come up to redeem this pledge.

At this juncture, the proverbial African word which says : ‘same parentage does not compel compassion, only those sent by God shows compassion’ is apt here, may be the next governor of Osun State after Ogbeni Aregbesola might show interest towards reviving the lost legacies of  the African legendary warlord, Ogedengbe Agbogungboro.